As soon as the weather is above zero, my biggest priority is to spend time outside. The two activities at the top of my list are hosting a BBQ with my friends & family, and taking my pup to the dog park or on a hike. Most people take full advantage of getting out and doing summer activities with their dog by their side. Sometimes a situation may arise that’s uncontrollable; our dog gets startled and happens to take it out on someone else. As stated by the Globe and Mail, “There are an estimated 500,000 dog bites a year in Canada.” That’s a lot of bites!

So what if my dog bites someone… Will I be covered? How am I covered?

With any dog bite claim, an investigation is conducted in order to find the facts of what happened, and why it happened. Dog bites would be covered under your liability coverage on your Home or Renters insurance policy, if the insurance company comes to the conclusion that this was a sudden and accidental situation.

If you come into any situation where your dog bites someone, be sure to contact your insurance broker who will help assist you in starting your claim.

How Can I Prevent A Dog From Biting Me?

Prevention is the best way to avoid dog bites from occurring, whether its your dog or someone else’s. Here’s some quick tips on how to handle this situation:

Pay attention to the dog’s body language. If the dog has a tensed body, stiff tail, intense stare, lowering and backing away, or bearing teeth, you want to put a safe distance between you and the dog.

If you think the dog may attack, resist the urge to scream and run away. Stand motionless, avoid eye contact, and place your hands at your sides.

Once the dog loses interest in you, slowly back away.

If the dog doesn’t lose interest and moves towards you, “feed” the dog anything you have close by (hat, purse, shirt) to distract them long enough to run away.

If the dog knocks you down, curl in to a ball with your hands over your ears and remain motionless.

If you have any questions about your coverage for dog bites, contact a Nuera Live Advisor for more information. I hope you stay safe and enjoy warming temperatures!